The Rose
by ArollaPine
Summary: After the fight against Glaciator Cat Noir gives Ladybug the rose. The very special rose which can be the beginning of a story. If you're curious what could happen after that balcony-blushing-moment, this is the story for you!
1. Broken heart

„I don't understand!"

These were the first words that Marinette said after so unusual goodbye with Cat Noir on the balcony next to her own.

"What do you want to understand?" Tikki asked, flying around her head.

"Well… Everything…" Marinette sighed helplessly.

That day was very surprising to her - though not in the way she had expected. The day before she had been thinking about the next day with impatience and hope. After all, they decided to go to André for ice-cream. She hoped that Adrien would join them and maybe she would be able to eat the magic sweetheart ice-cream with him. Meanwhile, Adrien didn't show up, and she ... She spent the evening with Cat Noir. Cat Noir who was in love. In love with her. Actually, with Ladybug. So – still with her...

And she realised that she liked this sensible version of Cat Noir – that was the most surprising... Of course, she didn't like him the same way as she liked Adrien! Oh, _definitely not_! But... Well... She started thinking about him differently and maybe better understanding his feelings.

"You know…" Marinette began and suddenly stopped.

She wasn't ready to talk to Tikki about her feelings, especially those feelings that had burst in her heart after the Cat Noir's kiss. And yet it wasn't even a real kiss! It was a kiss on the cheek. A friendly kiss. So… Why she was blushing every time she thought about it?

"Marinette, it's no shame that you liked Cat Noir." Tikki said with an innocent smile.

"What?!" Marinette exclaimed. "How? No, no, no! Nothing of the kind! What do you mean? I don't like him at all! Why do you think I do?"

Tikki giggled.

"Oh, Marinette…" she sighed.

"What do you mean, Tikki?"

"Have you forgotten that I'm kwami? You can deny, but I know."

"What do you know?" Marinette stuttered out.

"I know what you don't want to admit." Tikki winked at the girl, then flew away to her bed.

"What's that?" Marinette tried to find out what exactly her kwami had in mind, but there was no answer. Kwami decided to pretend to be sleeping.

The girl sighed and went to the balcony. She had no idea what she should think about all of that. But… The balcony wasn't a good place to think about it. Today so many things happened here. And on the neighbouring rooftop… And she wasn't sure which "many things" were more important to her. Was it when Cat Noir had honestly confessed his feelings and she almost told him about her problems with Adrien? Or maybe when Cat Noir gave her the rose and… And kissed her on the cheek…

She blushed immediately. It was so unusual and unlike him. And so… nice… He respected her feelings and just withdrew…

She sighed and lowered her head. It was impossible to sort out the mess of her thoughts and emotions. That was too much. And really – she didn't understand anything at all... Resigned, she returned to her room.

She didn't notice Cat Noir standing on the neighbouring balcony. He froze in the middle of cleaning after the surprise for Ladybug. With an extinguished candle in his hands, he stared at the place where Marinette had stood a minute ago...

Adrien felt a bit like a stalker. For the last three days he had been sneaking out of the house as Cat Noir and spending time hidden on the balcony next to Marinette's house. And he watched her. She stood on her balcony for hours every day, staring at the stars with so unhappy face and furrowed eyebrows. Something was bothering her. He would like to help her, but he had no idea of how he could comfort her. He would like to repay for her cheering him up that evening when Ladybug hadn't shown up.

Did Marinette have a broken heart? She looked like she was unhappily in love. He remembered that she had said something about it that evening when they were talking on her balcony. He couldn't understand that there was so stupid boy who didn't see that Marinette was perfect for being someone's girlfriend. Of course, except him! His heart belonged to Ladybug.

He sighed and decided to go home. Watching Marinette from the neighbouring balcony led to nowhere. He had to find a way to comfort her.

"Can you tell me, why we have these night walks?" Plagg asked him, when after detransformation he finally could eat his favourite camembert.

"For nothing, Plagg." Adrien sighed. "Sometimes I need to take the air…"

"You found an interesting place for this airing…" Plagg muttered.

"How…?"

"How do I know? Adrien… I hide in your ring, but it doesn't mean that I disappear. I'm present. And aware…" he paused for a moment, then added: "of some things…"

"She told me that she was in love." Adrien went to the point. "When I told her that I was in love with Ladybug. And she comforted me. I wish I could do the same for her."

"Interesting…" Plagg murmured, trying not to blab out the most important and forbidden secret.

"If I ever find out who's that jerk who broke my friend's heart, I'll slug him." Adrien clenched his fists, and Plagg almost got choked with the cheese.

"I'd like to see it…" he said amused.

"What?" Adrien spotted. "You know who it is?"

"Me?" Plagg asked with an innocent face.

"You're kwami. You can feel emotions. You must know!"

"Ahhhh…" Plagg yawned theatrically. "I'm exhausted by these trips to people's balconies. I'm going to sleep."

"So 'I know, but I won't tell you', right?"

"Yep!" Plagg grinned and ostentatiously went to sleep, leaving Adrien with a million thoughts in his head and a mess in his heart.


	2. Faint

Marinette was exhausted. This week was just a nightmare. At first that ice-cream disaster, then this carousel of emotions around Cat Noir, and finally Hawkmoth sent a villain to Paris again. To take over their miraculouses and gain absolute power, as always. No breathing spaces!

"Hello, Bugaboo!" Cat Noir greeted her outstretched on the fence.

"Oh, hi, Cat…" Ladybug stammered.

Wait! What was happening to her? Usually, she threw a text about his sitting on the fence while the work awaited, because a villain was destroying half of the city. Well… Usually, before she was confused by Cat Noir.

"You're so…" he muttered and jumped next to her looking at her with concern.

"Everything's fine!" She interrupted. "Let's go, Cat. We have work to do!"

And without waiting for him, she went to fight. Cat Noir quickly shook off his amazement. Confused Ladybug was something new. And a bit familiar... But he didn't know why. Anyway, it wasn't a good moment for meditation. Hawkmoth became more and more powerful and defeating next villains costed more and more efforts.

Although Ladybug seemed somehow different than usual, she kept her mind focused and again managed to save Paris. But this time just after sending the akuma back she fell on the street and closed her eyes. What was happening?

Cat Noir was by her side in a second.

"My Lady!" he called her, but there was no response.

Some people surrounded them. They were interested in the superhero's swoon. Someone started calling to TV station with news that Ladybug had been probably defeated this time. Cat Noir didn't have much time. He had to take her away from there. At that moment their miraculouses started beeping. He had less time than he thought.

He crushed the panic attack. He grabbed Ladybug quickly in his arms and moved away from the place where the sensation was caused.

"Where should I take you? Where should I take you?" he whispered, jumping from one rooftop to another.

"Home…" she whispered and again lost her consciousness.

He hugged her closer and laughed nervously.

"As if I knew where you live…"

He couldn't take her to his house, because he would make a double sensation. He couldn't take her to her home because he didn't know her identity, even more the address... Miraculouses beeped alarmingly. One minute... It would be better not to detransform between roofs, because that would be rather the sad end.

There was only one person he could trust. Marinette. She would definitely keep a secret about Ladybug's identity. Probably she would even close her eyes, just to not see who Ladybug really was. He smiled with relief and ran in the defined direction. A few seconds later he was already on Marinette's balcony. But the trapdoor was closed, and there was no light in her room. What now?

He put Ladybug carefully on the floor and realised that she began to detransform. He turned away quickly, but he knew that he would be next very soon. What should he do? Marinette wasn't at home and he couldn't leave an unknown girl on her balcony without a word of explanation!

"Cat Noir!" a red pellet, Ladybug's kwami, flew to him. "How did you know?"

"I have to go, and I don't know, where she…" he began, but stopped suddenly: "How did I know what?"

"Who Ladybug is." Tikki refined and narrowed her eyes.

"I don't know who Ladybug is." He answered. "I haven't looked there, I swear."

His ring beeped for the last time and he knew there were only seconds before detransformation.

"Why did you bring her here?"

"To Marinette." He answered honestly. "That's the only one person I can trust enough to…"

He stopped, because his time run out.

"Finally! I'm so glad that everything is clear now!" Plagg yawned.

"No, Plagg!" Tikki exclaimed, because she realised that Cat Noir didn't know Ladybug's identity.

"But… But we brought Ladybug to…" Plagg began, but Tikki interrupted:

"To Marinette!"

"To Marinette… Of course…" Plagg repeated in a bored tone and rolled his eyes.

"Take your camembert!" Adrien threw a piece of cheese to his kwami. "We have to go. Will she… Will she be fine?" he asked quietly, pointing at Ladybug without looking.

"I'll take care of her. Don't worry, Adrien."

"You know, who I am?"

"Of course, I do!" Tikki laughed. "We, kwamis, know a lot of things."

"So… Why… Why Ladybug… Why did she faint?"

"There's a lot going on in her life lately." Tikki answered. "I think she's just tired. She needs to rest a bit. I'll talk to her."

"Please, do it!" he said so warmly, that his eyes lit up.

"Don't worry!" Tikki repeated. "I'll take care of her. I promise."

"OK then. We have to go now. Plagg, claws out!"

And they were gone.


	3. Thank you, Cat Noir

"Tell me that once again, Tikki." Marinette asked for the hundredth time.

"Marinette..." Tikki sighed. "Nothing happened. You were just overtired and finally the body gave you a clear signal to slow down. You have to sleep at night!"

"But I can't! All those thoughts…"

"Marinette..." Tikki seemed to be losing patience. "You can't afford something like that happen again. What if you fall during a battle? Do you know what consequences can be?"

"And you're saying that Cat Noir brought me here?" Marinette asked. "But… How did he know where I live?"

"He doesn't…" Tikki began, but couldn't finish, because a sudden noise drew Marinette's attention and she didn't hear her kwami.

The girl went on the balcony, leaving Tikki in her room. Tikki, who – for the first time in her long life – didn't know what to do. If she flew to Marinette to tell her that Cat Noir didn't know her identity, she would reveal the secret anyway by her appearance. If she didn't go there, Marinette could blurt the secret out unintentionally. The only hope was in misunderstanding between those two, which wasn't so unbelievable.

"Good evening, Cat." Marinette welcomed him.

Cat Noir looked at her surprised. She called him so softly… A weird, warm emotion emerged in his heart.

"Good evening, Marinette." He answered and promised himself to think about those feelings later.

"I'd like to thank you." She whispered.

"I'd like to apologise." He said at the same moment.

"For what?" they asked each other and again – at the same moment.

They laughed. The situation was funny, but weird as well. They looked at each other and stopped laughing. They both felt uncomfortable.

"Maybe I'll start." Cat Noir said. "I'm sorry to trouble you last night."

"Trouble?" She didn't understand.

"Well, yesterday we had a little problem with Ladybug. After the fight she fainted, and I didn't know where to take her and I brought her to you. But there was nothing more I could do because she ... She detransformed and I had to leave her here. And now I don't know if you were not surprised when you found a stranger on your balcony or if she could regain her strength and come back home. I'm terribly worried because I have no news from her. But ... But I was sure that even if you found her here, you would not tell anyone about it. I trust you, Marinette."

Marinette felt faint when she realised that he didn't know. She almost revealed her identity! She was also moved with his sight and voice when he was talking about worrying about Ladybug. She'd never heard anyone cared about her so much. Even if it was just about her "superhero" self.

"Don't worry, Cat." She said after a while. "Ladybug is fine. She must be fine, because I didn't find anyone on the balcony."

"That's a relief…" Cat Noir sighed and looked at Marinette with interest. "And you? What did you want to thank for?"

 _For bringing me back home yesterday…_ \- she thought, but she couldn't say it aloud. She would thank for that later, as Ladybug.

"Oh, I haven't thanked you for the Glaciator thing yet…"

"Oh, right! That was something strange!" Cat Noir laughed. "He insisted on you so much. You didn't tell me why. Can you do that now?"

"It's a long story…" she whispered and approached the railing. She stared at the sunset.

"You said that before…" he smiled and sat next to her on the railing. "We have time."

"Uhm…" she sighed. "OK, so it was… Uhm… OK, I told you that it was André. He sells magical sweetheart ice-cream. It's been said that when two people eat ice-cream together, they will love each other for the rest of their lives. My dad, for example, proposed to my mom at André's…"

"That's… uhm… quite romantic…" Cat Noir said suddenly embarrassed.

"That's true." She glanced at him and smiled.

"And what was next?" Cat Noir asked after a while of waiting for the story to continue.

"I was alone there…" Marinette whispered and closed her eyes for a moment.

She looked exactly like for the last few days he'd been watching her from the neighbouring balcony. So, she kept thinking about it. About the boy she was unhappily in love with. The boy who didn't even come to the meeting! What a jerk!

"Never mind…" she managed to overcome the emotions. "Anyway, I told André something really mean."

"What did you tell him?"

"That… That there was no magic in his ice-cream. That they were just ice-cream…" She closed her eyes again and shook her head. "I caused the akuma attack. Again. I'm worse than Chloe…"

"What are you saying, Marinette?" Cat Noir exclaimed. "You can't take such a responsibility on yourself!"

"I've made so many mistakes lately…"

"Who hasn't?"

"But I shouldn't…"

"You can't think that way, because you'll go crazy. If it comforts you, I have to admit that one akuma victim was caused by me."

"One!" Marinette snorted. "I probably have four…"

 _And if you add those caused by Ladybug, there will be twice more…_ \- she added in her mind.

"This is not a reason to break down." Cat Noir cheered her up.

"Maybe you're right… Recently a lot of things have happened in my life… I can't deal with all of that."

"Ladybug has the same problem." Cat Noir noted. "At least her kwami said so…"

Marinette held her breath. Cat Noir was too close to discovered Ladybug's identity. She couldn't let him figure it out. On the other hand, she didn't want to lie to him.

"Maybe I should talk to her…" she muttered.

"You know Ladybug?!" He exclaimed in surprise.

"Yeah… I know her…" she smiled shyly. "She jumps in here sometimes."

It was somewhat true.

"Really? Here?"

"You know, her kwami loves cookies. And my parents own the best bakery in the neighbourhood."

"So… you know her as a civilian?"

"I can't tell you, Cat…"

"That means you know." He smiled. "I won't try to test your loyalty, don't worry. If Ladybug wanted me to know who she is, she would tell me."

Again, Marinette couldn't believe how mature Cat Noir had become. Or maybe he just stopped doing stupid things.

"Does she mention me sometimes?" he asked quietly without looking at her.

It grieved Marinette's heart. She understood him so well. If only she had courage to ask, she would ask Nino if Adrien talked to him about her…

"Sometimes. Recently…" she stopped. She almost said that recently she'd been thinking about him all the time.

"Yes?" he spotted immediately.

"…She mentioned." She finished the sentence.

"I see you're not going to tell me. You're a good friend, Marinette. Loyal." He stated with wide smile. "Well, it's getting late. I should go. Have a nice evening!"

"Same to you, Cat." She smiled for goodbye.

He almost jumped down, when turned back to her, hanging on the outside of the balcony.

"Would you mind if I come around sometime as well?" he asked, winking to her.

"Your kwami also likes cookies?" she joked.

"I can't tell you." He answered with a smile. "If you knew my identity, you would know both – mine and Ladybug's. You would become too valuable for Hawkmoth. We can't risk your safety."

After these words he jumped into the darkness.

She stayed leaning against the railing, suddenly ran out of breath. These words Cat Noir had just said were… were very nice.

She sighed and returned to her bedroom.

"I'm so proud of you, Marinette!" Tikki whispered with a smile.


	4. Not a date

Marinette knew at least one thing. Nothing was the same in her life anymore. She still didn't know what to do about that and how to put in order the mess in her heart. But in an incomprehensive way – Cat Noir began taking Adrien's place in her heart.

She noted the first signal that something started to change, when she went to school on Monday morning and behaved totally easy-going in front of Adrien – practically for the first time since she had met him. Moreover, it wasn't an apparent calmness that she had already managed to keep for last few months, but the real one – inner calm. It was like all the butterflies in her stomach quieted down – they stopped urging her to do all those stupid things she used to do when Adrien spoke to her, looked at her or just was around.

At first, she was worried by the lack of those symptoms. Then she felt relieved that she was coming back to normal. And then she panicked that she began falling in love with Cat Noir, which of course couldn't happen! Ladybug must be professional. She couldn't afford any sentiments towards her partner! She calmed down immediately – she was too reasonable to lose her head for Cat Noir! Who cared that he had turned out to be so sensitive and intelligent boy, who thought about others, and who was so… attractive? No. _No. NO!_ She didn't think about the latter!

She sighed irritably.

"Are you all right?" Alya asked glancing at her.

"Sure. Everything's fine." Marinette replied trying to smile.

"Yeah…" Alya wasn't convinced. "What would you say if we went to the cinema today?"

"Cinema? Sure, why not? I think I need to relax a bit."

"Will you mind if Nino and Adrien join us?" Alya asked with an innocent smile.

"No. That's OK." Marinette shrugged, ignoring her friend's astonished look.

"Uhm… Marinette?"

"Yes?"

"Don't you… want to tell me something?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know. You're behaving a bit weird."

"Don't worry, Alya. I'm just…" Marinette hesitated for a moment. "I'm just getting normal."

"So… you don't mind that Adrien is going with us?"

"Absolutely not. That's fine. By the way. What are we going to watch?"

"Today it's a mini-marathon of Disney live action movies. You know… 'Cinderella' and 'Beauty of the Beast'."

"Really?" Marinette raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "You managed to talk them into something like that?"

"Well, I was surprised too." Alya laughed. "I mean… you know… Nino will go with me for every movie I choose." She grinned. "But Adrien really surprised me. I didn't think he would agree. But as soon as I mentioned you would go with us, he agreed without hesitation!" she added with a meaningful wink.

"Oh…" Marinette murmured.

"Oh?!" Alya exclaimed. "That's all?!"

"Well, yes. What should I say?"

"Have you both switched with your feelings or what?!"

"I'm pretty sure that Adrien had his reasons to go to the cinema with us. I'm not going to start it over again." Marinette replied seriously. "I won't rely on idle hopes. Not anymore. That ice-cream fell on the ground, Alya."

"Oh, Marinette!" her friend sighed compassionately.

"It's OK, Alya. Don't worry. I'm OK." Marinette smiled bravely. „I'm OK…" she repeated quietly.

Somehow her broken heart healed…

„So… We're going on a double date?" Plagg asked flying around Adrien's head, that drove the boy crazy.

"It's not a date!" Adrien repeated for the tenth time. "Marinette…"

"Yeah, yeah… She's just a friend." Plagg finished the sentence in a bored tone.

"Exactly! And that's the perfect way to comfort her!"

"By taking her to the cinema? For a date? Are you crazy?"

"It's not a date, Plagg!" Adrien started to be irritated. "We're going with Alya and Nino."

"I've told you it's a double date."

"Plagg…" Adrien's voice became ominous, but kwami looked at him completely innocent. "I've already explained that. I have to comfort Marinette. She has to forget about that guy."

"And start thinking about you?"

"Yghr…" Adrien grinded his teeth. "What are you trying to talk into me?"

"Nothing. But aren't you afraid that she… uhm… will start thinking about you?"

"Certainly, she won't. We're just friends. She… uhm… she would never think about me that way. I wouldn't think about her that way as well. I mean emotionally…"

"Yeah, right…" concluded Plagg rolling his eyes.

Adrien decided to ignore his kwami. He was glad when he finally had seen Marinette easy-going and cheerful today at school. As if her nostalgia had passed, or maybe she had already healed her broken heart. That guy wasn't worth it.

He was happy when Alya asked him to go to the cinema altogether – with her, Marinette and Nino. It could cheer Marinette up and help to keep her in a good mood. And, he would have an opportunity to observe whether everything was ok with his friend. Maybe, in a way, he could repay her for the support she had given him that day on her balcony, even though he was Cat Noir then.

They met in the front of the cinema. When Adrien came, the rest of his friends had already been there. Alya and Nino tried not to snuggle and kiss too much in public. Marinette was standing next to them with a half-smile.

"Sorry for being late." Adrien apologised.

"You're on time, dude. No tension." Nino laughed.

"Are we going?" Alya asked and went inside in embraces of her boyfriend.

Adrien looked at Marinette. He wasn't sure what he should do or say. But she behaved quite easy-going and followed Alya and Nino. And he just joined her. Yes. Just like that.

They sat next to each other. Coincidence. Alya and Nino took the first two seats, so the other two went to Adrien and Marinette. Nothing special.

"Everything's fine?" he asked before the lights went out.

"Absolutely." She answered with a smile and focused on the screen.

He did the same. But from time to time he glanced at her, just to make sure that everything was fine with her, of course. And besides, he was amused to watch how emotionally she was going through the movie. After all, "Cinderella" was not a thrilling story and everyone knew the ending.

"No!" Marinette exclaimed together with Cinderella when Stepmother broke the glass shoe.

He smiled and whispered in her ear:

"It's a fairy tale. Everything will end well."

She looked at him. Their faces were so close. And both suddenly held their breath.

"Yes, I know." She finally replied in a whisper.

He couldn't answer. They quickly looked away from each other. Adrien thought for a moment what would happen if he followed an impulse to take her hand. He immediately came to his senses. What thoughts came to him! It was Marinette!

And then the second movie began. Suddenly, Adrien found something very interesting in the plot and he got so involved in it that he paid no more attention to Marinette's well-being. When Bella visited her parents' first apartment in Paris and learnt from the Beast what had happened there, Adrien thought about his mom. And he felt he missed her very much.

At that moment he felt a small hand on his hand. The hand from which he felt warmth and strength. He smiled, even without looking at Marinette. She also didn't take her eyes off the screen.

After the movie, when the lights flashed back, they gazed surprised at their hands, still clinched together. Marinette had tears in her eyes. And he casually thought she looked so cute with those tears. And immediately ashamed of these thoughts, as if they were… inappropriate.

"Sorry for that…" she whispered and let his hand go. "I always cry on such moving films."

She took a handkerchief from her purse and tried to put herself to order. And he only could think about how nice her touch had been.

People began leaving the cinema. Alya and Nino looked as if they wanted to continue their date without the company of their friends, but they both felt obliged to Marinette and Adrien, who – left on their own – would probably cause a social catastrophe. And that would happen if Marinette was behaving as she used to in front of Adrien.

"Come on, Alya…" Marinette whispered to her friend. "I see you want to go somewhere else. Don't worry about me. I'll take care of myself."

"But…"

"I'm OK, remember?" Marinette winked to Alya. "And I don't want to feel like the fifth wheel."

"Well…" Alya hesitated.

"I'll walk you home." Adrien offered suddenly.

"It's not necessary!" Marinette objected immediately.

"It's not a problem." Adrien replied.

"OK then." Marinette sighed, ignoring a grin on Alya's face who felt like a perfect matchmaker.

They divided into two pairs – Alya and Nino left to the nearest café, Marinette and Adrien moved in the opposite direction.

Suddenly they heard a rumble and a noise like through megaphones announcing the takeover of the city by someone who called themselves "Je-suis-Coco".

Marinette looked at Adrien in panic. What now? Paris needed Ladybug and she just got stuck on a walk with a boy. She needed to think quickly.

"I forgot my phone!" she said.

"Are we going back?" he asked.

"I can handle. I think I know where I could leave it." She answered quickly, praying that he wouldn't follow her.

Adrien however looked like he was torn.

"I should go with you." He said, taking her hand. She squeezed the hand and replied:

"Hide somewhere!"

She didn't realise that she said that very in Ladybug's style. She left immediately in the direction of the cinema and at the corner she glanced over her shoulder if he followed her. No, he seemed to listen to her request. She felt relief. She turned into a bystreet and looked carefully around. She whispered "Tikki, spots on!" and in a second, she was ready to fight against Je-suis-Coco.

She met Cat Noir at the Eiffel Tower.

"Good evening, Bugaboo!" he welcomed her. "I hope the akuma hasn't ruined your evening like it has done to me."

"You had plans for tonight?" Ladybug asked, ignoring a warmth on her cheeks.

"In such situations I feel like a slave of the duties."

"That's the job, Cat." She replied, drowning out a strange feeling in her heart – very close to… the jealousy…? "What do we have here?" she changed the subject.

"Looks like a failed model?"

"A model?" she wasn't convinced. "If she called herself 'Coco' she's rather a designer…"

"You're right!" Cat Noir nodded. "Wait! In a few days the Paris Fashion Week begins."

"How do you know that?" Ladybug asked in astonishment.

"Uhm… There are posters around the city." He replied after a moment. He blushed, because he lied a little – he knew perfectly about the event from his father. And he had a hunch that no one else but Gabriel Agreste had caused this akuma attack – he had probably brought a designer to a condition that would attract Hawkmoth's akumas.

"Well, at least we know something." Ladybug muttered, not paying attention to Cat Noir's blush. "Let's go then!"

It was another tough fight. Finally, they managed to defeat ambitious Coco and repaired all damages with the magic spell "Miraculous Ladybug!"

And suddenly it was all over. They stood facing each other. Undecided to leave. Ladybug knew she had to go back to the cinema quickly and somehow explained to Adrien that she was looking for her phone longer than she planned. But before leaving she had one more thing to do. She took a step towards him and whispered shyly:

"Uhm… I wanted to thank you, Cat…"

"Thank me?" he repeated in astonishment.

"For saving me last time. For taking me…" she hesitated, she almost blurted out 'home', but finished quickly with: "…to my friend."

"She's the only person I could trust. She would never reveal our identity to anyone."

Ladybug felt something huge growing in her heart when she heard those words. Actually, he had already said something very similar recently, but today she heard it as Ladybug, not Marinette. And her cheeks burned when she heard the tone of his voice. Something unnamed but very special was in it.

"Anyway… Thank you, Cat." She whispered.

She put her hand on his shoulder and stood on tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek – the same way he had kissed her, giving her the rose.

And it wasn't clear if he turned his face in surprise to look at her hand on his shoulder, or maybe she changed her intention at the last moment – influenced by his words he had just said… But in effect – Ladybug kissed Cat Noir on the lips.

He looked at her in amazement, but soon he felt a bliss and he embraced Ladybug, closed his eyes and respond to her kiss.

"Marinette…" he murmured just after their kiss.

"Yes?" she whispered in reply.

And suddenly she realised that she was Ladybug, not Marinette. She blushed and ran away. She just… escaped.


	5. Is she?

"Tikki, what have I done?!" Marinette asked, panicked, as soon as she detransformed in the same bystreet next to the cinema.

"Oh, Marinette…" Tikki chuckled. "You kissed Cat Noir. Not the first time…"

"You don't get it!"

"I think I _get it_ perfectly!"

"Tikki… He… He said my name…"

"And you were Ladybug." Tikki added.

"Oh… Do you think… Do you think he's guessed who I am?"

"No, I don't think so…" Tikki shook her head. "I think you just took more space in his mind as Marinette than as Ladybug."

"How's that possible?"

"It's the same with Cat Noir and Adrien in your mind." Tikki explained. "You think about Cat Noir much more than about Adrien. Even though you still love Adrien."

"Adrien!" Marinette reminded who she had left before the fight. "Hide, Tikki! I have to find him! And explain him why I was looking for my phone for so long…"

She ran out onto the street and looked at the direction she had left Adrien. He was standing at the same place and looking around anxiously. When he noticed her, he sighed with a relief.

"I was worried." He said after glancing at her briefly.

"They… uhm… They turned off the lights…" Marinette stammered, blushing. "I couldn't find it. My phone, I mean…"

"I'm glad you're not hurt."

"What was that?" she asked moving forward. She tried to calm down after seeing him so worried about her. Adrien had never shown her so much attention before, not to say: feelings.

"I don't know…" he murmured, walking by her side.

And he fell silent for good.

They walked in a complete silence – each lost in their thoughts. Marinette couldn't shake off the shock that she had kissed Cat Noir, even though Adrien still meant a lot to her. What was that? She only raised his hope. He had confessed his feelings and she kissed him now. He could think that she felt the same to him. And she… she wasn't sure if she did. Because if she did, why she felt her heart trembling when Adrien was nearby? She'd thought she was over him, but this evening in the cinema made all those feelings come back.

Meanwhile, Adrien tried to understand what had happened a few minutes ago. His biggest dream came true – Ladybug kissed him! – and all he was thinking about was… Marinette… And at the end he just whispered her name! It wasn't surprising that Ladybug escaped straight away. Wait. Wait a moment… Did she… Didn't she respond to that name? He stopped, shocked with the conclusions.

Marinette turned to him and looked in surprise at him. Adrien forced himself to move. He was afraid of following his own thoughts and where they could lead him. It would be too… too painful if he found out it wasn't true. It was better not to hope for a miracle. It was impossible that Ladybug would reveal her identity to him. And if Marinette _was_ Ladybug, he could be more than sure that she would _never_ confirm it was the truth. Even if he asked directly.

As he was walking next to her, he glanced sideways at her profile from time to time. He was looking for similarities, and yet… he tried not to find them. As if the reveal could destroy his world. What if he believed that Marinette was Ladybug and the truth would be completely different? What if the truth would be so wonderful? And she would reject him – both as Cat Noir and as Adrien? And yet… She had just kissed him! That must have meant something! But – would Marinette ever kiss a boy? Even if she liked him? Nope. She wouldn't. It wasn't in her style.

Before they realised, their walk was over – they stood in front of Marinette's house. Somehow neither of them could find words to say goodbye that evening.

"Marinette?" he asked, and she felt that familiar tremble of her heart.

"Yes?" she replied breathless.

He froze and gazed on her carefully. She sounded the same as Ladybug when she had answered to Marinette's name after their kiss. He was to ask another question, when suddenly the door opened and Tom Dupain – Marinette's dad – showed up, irreversibly ruining that magical moment.


	6. The rose

"Today there was another akuma attack." Marinette's dad said. "I suggest coming inside the house."

"Good evening, sir." Adrien greeted. "I'd better go…"

"No way, young man." Tom put his hand on Adrien's shoulder and led him inside. "You'll stay at least at dinner. And then we'll call for a transport for you. It's too dangerous to stay outside tonight."

Marinette smiled slightly. Oh, if only her parents knew… She sighed and followed Adrien.

"Good evening, Adrien!" Sabine welcomed the boy with a smile.

"Good evening, Mrs. Cheng." Adrien answered her kindly.

"Marinette, maybe you'll take your guest upstairs?" mom suggested. "I'll bring you something to eat in a minute."

Marinette had no choice. Her parents set her up a bit in inviting Adrien for a dinner. She sighed and went upstairs. After a moment they were both in her room. All alone with each other.

There was an awkward silence between them.

"Uhm… It's changed a little since we practiced before the Ultimate Mega Strike III tournament." Adrien finally started, looking around.

"Oh, lately I've caught inspiration for designing. You know… All this Paris Fashion Week…" she explained quickly, a bit embarrassed with the mess in her bedroom.

"So, that's why…" he began, but hesitated, confused. It almost blurted 'that's why you were so overwhelmed when we talked last time', because when they talked he was Cat Noir. Double life may be more than complicated.

"That mess? Yeah…" She blushed. "I hope you don't mind."

"No, of course not!" he denied immediately. "I wish I had less sterile home. I prefer your way of designing than my father's."

"He's not so messy?"

"I think he would have a stroke if his studio looked like this." He joked, and she laughed.

Suddenly he noticed a dried rose hanging in the corner next to the mirror.

His heart stopped beating for a moment. What were the chances that it was the same rose he had given Ladybug? Was that just wishful thinking? He was completely confused – Ladybug didn't know about the Paris Fashion Week, and Marinette apparently was very interested in that event.

"Do you have an admirer?" he asked and blushed immediately. He wanted to kick himself for talking such stupid things. What a direct question!

"Not exactly…" she answered with a smile, unaware of his thoughts.

She looked at the dried flower, as if there was a romantic story behind it. Adrien felt a hint of jealousy for the first time in his life. Unless it was _the_ rose. Then that smile would mean that she was thinking about Cat Noir, about him… Which wouldn't be so bad… Actually, it would be wonderful!

He couldn't stop the chase of thoughts that like pieces of the puzzle started to assemble into… into… into something he hoped for. But that was the only logical explanation of the whole sequence of coincidences. Marinette and Ladybug had the same problems, because too much was happening in their lives, Ladybug's kwami was convinced Cat Noir had discovered his partner's identity because he escorted her to Marinette's balcony, and… when Ladybug had kissed him, and he whispered Marinette's name… she replied. And now… Now a dried rose was hanging here – the rose so like the one he had given Ladybug…

"Adrien?" Marinette asked quietly. "Are you OK?"

"Yes…" he answered hesitantly. Was he OK?

"Are you sure?" she stepped closer.

"Who gave you that rose?" he asked directly, turning to her. He waited agog for her answer.

"I got it from a friend." She replied slowly, trying to guess what his questions might mean. "From a super-friend I can say…" she smiled.

"A super-friend?" he repeated, and his heart was beating so hard that he could hear it in his ears.

"You probably won't believe me, but I have it from Cat Noir." She smiled even wider.

Yeah. He'd probably got a heart attack, because now his heart stopped – again. Another piece of the puzzle fitted perfectly. He had to take a chance to get the final proof. He needed to know!

"Ladybug?" he asked in a whisper.

"What?" she stammered and blushed. "Why did you call me Ladybug?"

"You must be her, since you got this rose from Cat Noir." He replied calmly even though so many emotions were playing inside him.

"I don't understand…" she took a step back.

"Unless you're not telling me the truth. But you never lie, right?"

"Why you are so sure I didn't get this rose from Cat Noir?" Marinette crossed her arms and glared at him.

"I didn't say you hadn't got it from Cat Noir." He smiled. Marinette had never looked at him like that. Ladybug – oh, yes. Many times. Usually when he irritated her as Cat Noir.

"No?" she asked surprised. "You said…"

"I said that you must be Ladybug if you say that Cat Noir gave you that rose. That's all."

"I don't see the point."

"But I'm sure that I gave such a rose only to Ladybug and to no one else." He replied slowly, observing Marinette's reaction. There was no sense in hiding his identity, since he had just discovered that she was Ladybug.

"What?" she asked in a feeble voice.

An embarrassed smile was his answer. He ruffled his hair, because suddenly he didn't know what to do with his hands. It was done. He had told her he was Cat Noir. And what now?


	7. Cat Noir? No way!

Marinette took a step towards embarrassed Adrien. She didn't turn her sight away from his green eyes gazed at her face. Thousands of thoughts passed through her head and each one was more absurd and insane than the previous one. It would be pure madness to believe that Adrien Agreste was Cat Noir! They were so different from each other!

But if he really was… Was it possible that he had discovered her identity earlier? Maybe this was the reason of those frequent Cat Noir's visits on her balcony? Or the reason why Adrien so willingly had agreed to go to the cinema today? How had she revealed her identity?

"How long have you known?" she asked quietly.

"Actually, I started to believe it when I saw the rose." He whispered.

"Since when did you know?" she repeated severely.

"It occurred to me a moment ago when we were coming back from the cinema." He confessed.

"Why then?"

Adrien grinned, and Marinette suddenly realised that his smile was so like Cat Noir's. Adrien never smiled at her that way. He didn't smile like that to anyone.

"When I came back to the cinema, you weren't there yet. I was…" he hesitated and blushed. "I was thinking a little about what had happened before you ran away…"

Marinette also flushed immediately. Her behaviour, especially the kiss with Cat Noir, seemed less embarrassing when he didn't know her identity. Now they stood facing each other without the masks and she wanted to die of shame.

"And suddenly I remembered that when I called your name, you answered me…" he added.

"How… How did you know then?" She whispered.

"I didn't." he admitted honestly. "I don't know why I said your name. Until then, I didn't connect you with Ladybug at all. There was Ladybug, and there were you. Always as two separate people."

"Same with you and Cat Noir…" she smiled shyly.

"And though you did something I had dreamed about for so long…" he continued, still blushed. "I was terribly worried about you, the real one, left somewhere in the dark cinema. Or worse – on the street, looking for me. And that's probably why I said your name."

"I responded automatically." Marinette muttered, more to herself than to him. "I must have forgotten myself a bit…"

Adrien grinned again. Yes, it was definitely the Cat Noir's smile! The blush on her cheeks deepened when she realised that.

"When you ran away, I didn't think about what had just happened, I just went back to find you. You know, nearby the cinema. I wanted to make sure you were OK. But then I started thinking about all of this and finally I realised there were a bit too many coincidences."

"So… You didn't know when you were coming here?" Marinette asked to make it clear.

"I had no idea then. It's strange, because when you think about it, it's pretty obvious that you are Ladybug."

"Really?" she asked in astonishment.

"Yeah! For example, today at school or in the cinema you behaved very much like Ladybug. I don't know how describe this. At ease? I don't know. As usual with me when I'm Cat Noir, I mean. I didn't see these similarities before, but now when I know your identity, it's rather obvious."

"I have the same." Marinette murmured.

She also began noticing similarities between Adrien and Cat Noir. And she didn't even try to explain him why she hadn't been comfortable with him before. She felt awkward enough with being aware she had kissed him today.

"So, maybe you would agree to go to the cinema with me again? Adrien asked with a shy smile. "This time for a real date, OK?"

"Are you really inviting me?" she asked in amazement. "But… You love Ladybug…"

"What a coincidence. Aren't you her by the way?" he grinned. She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "I've always said that I love a girl who is Ladybug. Your bad luck it's you."

"My bad luck?" she repeated.

"Well, now you'll have to forget about that guy who broke your heart."

Marinette burst out laughing.

"What?" he asked warily.

But Marinette was still laughing so hard that tears welled up her eyes. Adrien watched her with curiosity and confusion. She tried to control herself, but she began to laugh every time she looked at him. After a while she started to hold her stomach and her other hand she leaned on Adrien's shoulder.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked.

"Wai… Wait…" she stuttered. "Wait a minute… You'll be laughing as well…"

"But what happened? What's so funny?"

He took her hand that she held on his shoulder. She immediately became serious and looked at him.

"It's you…" she whispered and began to giggle again.

"What me?" He didn't understand.

He stood dumbfounded, still holding her hand and not understanding what was happening.

"Marinette?"

"It's you, Adrien." She repeated. "You're that guy."

And she started laughing again. This time he joined her. He got it finally. And he remembered what Plagg had told him a few days ago, that caused a further outburst of laugh. They stood face to face, holding hands and laughing heartily – starting over and over again as only one of them looked at the other.

"Do you have any idea how much entangled it is?" Adrien asked when they finally calmed down.

"Don't make me laugh, because my stomach hurts already." Marinette muttered. "Sure, it is. If it wasn't, I would never tell you."

"Why?"

"I'd be ashamed."

"Why?" he repeated. "I've told you what I feel for you."

"Not exactly." She replied. "You said what you felt for Ladybug. Actually, Cat Noir said. As Adrien you didn't tell me anything. Me as me, Marinette."

"You didn't tell me anything. Neither as Ladybug, nor as Marinette." He reminded her.

"There were always some obstacles. Usually my shyness, I guess. And fear…"

"Fear?"

"Well… Of rejection." She explained.

"Ah, that kind of fear. Yeah, I have it too."

"To be honest I've already turned you down."

"Should I repay?" he joked, and she gave him a jab in reply.

"You have invited me on a date." She reminded. "Do you want to withdraw?"

"Never!" his answer was immediate. "Oh, and I owe you something!" he added, taking one step towards her. There were only centimetres between them now.

"What?" she whispered, looking at him in amazement.

"You know…" he blushed and glanced at her shyly. "When I gave you the rose… I had a plan to kiss you. You know… Not on the cheek." He added, and Marinette flushed.

"It's a pity you didn't tell me then who your boyfriend was…" Adrien whispered.

"You weren't my boyfriend." She corrected automatically.

"I would definitely kiss you then." He ignored her comment. "What a waste of time…"

And then he leaned and kissed her. Her – as Marinette. But did it matter now?

The end :-)


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